Combined desk and seat



Oct. 18,1932. H, ABB QTT 1,883,322

COMBINED DESK AND SEAT Filed April 30, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 18, 1932. G. H. ABBOTT 1,883,322

COMBINED DESK AND SEAT Filed April 30. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE H. ABBOTT, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WOODRUFF & EDWARDS INC.,

OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS COMBINED DESK AND SEAT Application m April 30,

This invention relates generally to furniture and particularly to a combined desk and seat, suitable for use in schools, offices and the like.

The invention is particularly concerned with the substructure of the combined desk and seat, and has for its object to provide a serviceable, ornamental and durable device of this character, which provides for plus and minus vertical adjustments of both seat and desk. Further objects of the invention are to provide improved adjustment connections and an improved swivel construction for the seat.

An exemplification of the invention is set forth in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is an elevation of a complete seat and desk embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 1 is a sectional detail on a vertical plane through the seat swivel and associated parts, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral designates a tubular frame which is substantially of U-shape. The upwardly directed arms of the frame diverge, as shown in Fig. 1, to provide greater horizontal separation between the seat and desk when same are elevated. In order to support the frame,the same is provided with rear legs 11 and front legs 12. The rear legs 11 are formed integrally with a collar 13, which is mounted upon the rear arm of the frame 10 near the floor and secured in position in any suitable manner, for example by soldering or brazing. The front legs 12 are similarly connected integrally with a collar 14: which is similarly secured to the front arm of the frame 10. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the legs 11 and'12 extend obliquely to the rear and to the front, respectively, to provide increased stability and offer minimum interference with the foot room.

The ends of the rear and front arms of the 1930. Serial No. 448,482.

frame 10 areprovided with heads 15 and 15, which are generally similar and will be fully understood from the detailed description of the former. The lower portion of the head 15 provides a socket for the reception of the end of the frame 10. This socket extends downwardly and abuts against the collar 13. It is provided at its lower end with a projection 15 which enters a corresponding recess 15 in the upper edge of the collar 13.

The head and frame may be rigidly secured together in any suitable manner, for example, by soldering or brazing. The upper portion of the head 15 is of substantially semicylindrical form providing longitudinal faces adapted to contact with lateral shoulders provided on a slide 16. One of the surfaces of the head 15 is provided with a longitudinal rib 17 which is adapted to project into a recess in one of the lateral shoulders of the slide 16. The other longitudinal surface 17 a of the head is desirably inclined, as is also the coacting shoulder of the slide (see Fig. 3), the direction of such inclination being such that the slide, when pressed against the 7 head, will tend to maintain the two bearing surfaces of the latter against spreading.

The lower portion of the slide 16 is of arcuate form so that it may slide over the lower socket portion of the head 15. As shown in Fig. 2, the longitudinal surfaces, upon which the slide 16 moves, extend downwardly. on the exterior of socket portion, the metal'forming same being suitably thickened for. that purpose.

The upper portion of the slide 16 comprises a transverse wall 18 which extends practically between the sliding surfaces. The wall 18 is provided with a longitudinal slot 19 for 90 the reception of a bolt 20 which extends through an opening 21 in the rear wall of the head 15. Longitudinal guides 22 are provided on the front face of the wall 18 to prevent the bolt from being rotated when the nut is tightened. The face of the wall 18against which the head of the bolt 20 abuts is inclined slightly with respect to the coacting sliding surfaces of the head and slide so that the tendency of the slide to move downwardly 100 engenders a wedgin or jamming action which opposes such movement.

The upper portion of the slide 16 gives into a horizontal circular plate 23. Longitudinal webs 24 and 25 reinforce the connection between the slide 16 and the plate -23. The upper end of the head 15 is substantially closed by a web 26 which is provided with slots for the passage therethrough of the webs 24.

The plate 23 is provided with a boss 27 which may suitably be constituted by a rib 27 and projections 27 The boss retains a hardened steel ring 28 in position around the periphery of the plate 23 to form a track for the balls 29. The balls 29 are maintained in spaced relation by the spreader 30 which is seated upon shoulders formed on theouter ends of the rib 27 and projections 27 of the boss 27, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Upon the plate 23 is applied a seat plate 31 which isprovided with a depending flange which extends aroimd the plate 23. The seat plate 31 is formed integrally with brackets 32 whereby the seat is adapted to be secured in assembled relation. As shown in Fig. 4, the underside of the plate 31 may be provided with a circumferential track of arcuate crosssection to receive the balls 29. As shown in Fig. 5, the plate 23 is provided with a central opening 33 into which projects a stud 34 which is integral with the rib 27. The opening 33 and stud 34 are formed to limit the swiveling movement of the seat in either direction. For this purpose the stud 34 may suitably taper in opposite radial directions and the opening 33 may be waisted to provide abutments for the surfaces of the stud 34 when the seat is moved to its extreme positions.

The upper surface of the plate 31 is provided with a seat for a spring washer which may suitably be a square piece of resilient metal which is superimposed upon the opening 33. The spring washer 35 is secured to the plate 23 by the bolt 36. A spring washer 37, of ordinary type, may suitably be applied to the bolt between its nut and the underside of the plate 23. In order to hold the bolt 36 from turning when its nut is tightened, the head of the bolt is seated in a non-circular recess 38 formed in a bar 39, the end of which is bent downwardly into a position between two stops 40, which are formed integrally with the plate 23.

It will be readily understood that the ease with which the seat may be swiveled can be adjusted by tightening the nut of the bolt 36. In order to adjust the height of the seat, the nut of the bolt 20 is loosened and the slide 16 is moved to desired position. The nut is then; retightened.

The other head 15 slide 16 which slide 16, except 7 is associated with a is completely similar to the that it gives into a plate 23 which is provided with integral brackets 41, whereby it may be secured directly to the desk 42. As shown in Fig. 1, the head 15 does not extend downwardly to the collar 14.

The surfaces of contact between the heads and slides is such that a rigid connection can be secured with a minimum of machining. The relation of the parts is determined by the cooperation of the longitudinal rib 17 with the corresponding recess upon the slide. The other slide surfaces being plain cooperate effectively, notwithstanding variations between the castings. The inclination of the face of the wall 18, with respect to the coacting sliding surfaces, produces a wedging action which assists the frictional force opposing downward movement of the supported member.

Although the invention has been described in connection with the details of a specific embodiment thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention, except insofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In an article of furniture, a pair of plates in superposed swiveling relation, one plate being provided with an aperture, a projection on the other plate extending substantially through the aperture, a resilient washer located over the opening and projection, means on the plate having the aperture for preventing relative rotation between the washer and plate, a bolt passing through said washer and projection and securing the plates together under adjustable tension, said bolt being provided with means having bearing upon the upper surface of said resilient washer. l

2. In an article of furniture, a pair of plates in superposed swiveling relation, one plate being provided with an opening, a projection on the other plate entering the opening and adapted to engage the edges thereof to limit the swiveling movement, a resilient washer located over the opening, a bar located above the washer and having an extension adapted to engage the plate carrying the projection, and a bolt non-rotatably seated in the bar securing the plates in assembled relation.

3. In an article of furniture, a pair of plates in superposed swiveling relation, one of the plates being provided with a non-cir cular aperture and the other plate being provided with a non-circular projection extending substantially through the aperture in the other plate and adapted to engage the edges thereof to limit the swiveling movement, a resilient washer extending across the opening, means on the plate having the aperture for preventing relative rotation between said washer and plate, a non-rotatable member in contact with the upper surface of said washer, and a bolt extending'through the plates, washer and non-rotatable member for securing the plates in assembled relation under variable tension.

4. In an article of furniture, a pair of plates in superposed swiveling relation, one of said plates having an aperture and the other plate having a projection extending substantially through said aperture, cooperating means on an edge of said aperture and projection to limit relative swiveling movement, a resilient member carried by one plate and adapted to frictionally engage the other through said aperture, and means carried by the other plate for adjustably engaging said resilient member, whereby said plates are secured in assembled relation and the ease with wkhich the plates may be swiveled is adjusta le.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of April, 1930.

GEORGE H. ABBOTT. 

